November 23: Happy Thanksgiving from Africa

Happy Thanksgiving! It appears that impalas also contain tryptophan, the sleep inducing chemical found in turkeys 

I may have spoken too soon about the comfortable campsite — the amenities were excellent but the evening temperatures were absolutely brutal.  I woke up several times sweating as if I just completed a challenging spin class.  

Groggy and tired — we visited some tourist spots in a mountain region just outside of Kruger National Park.  Our first stop was Three Rondavels where we were impressed with the amazing views which included a section that resembled Horseshoe Bend in Arizona.  According to the Beautiful World webpage, “The Three Rondavels are an ancient geological wonder located in South Africa’s Blyde River Canyon region. The trio of portly peaks are shaped like traditional beehive huts, with gently sloping walls and domed summits.”

Next, we toured the Bourke’s Luck Potholes.  According to information on their webpage, “The cylindrical holes which make up the site are caused by a phenomenon known as a 'Giant's Kettle' - where swirls of water wear away the rock.”  The site marks the spot where the Blyde River (river of joy) and the Treur River (river of sorrow) meet.  Here, we observed potholes and canyons reminiscent of Snake Canyon in Oman with its smooth eroded walls. The big difference was the deep brown waters of the river that contrasted perfectly with the surrounding canyon walls. 

Finally, we made it to God’s Window where I’ll probably remember the long walk up to the viewpoint more than the view.  The vantage point gave us a look at the surrounding pine trees on this hilly terrain.